Search form

CBT's top 20 off-guards

Off-guards are the term that we will be using for players that unquestionably play in the back court, yet spend most of their time off the ball. Some of these guys are spot up shooters, some of them are slashers and some of them are combo-guards that just so happens to share a back court with a a ball-dominating lead guard. Whatever the case, the bottom line is that they are all guards that play off the ball. Hence, off guards. Simple, right?

Credit:

Getty Images

20. Nick Johnson, Arizona

Johnson was a highly-regarded recruit that hasn't quite lived up to his hype just yet. Arizona will need him to be an effective perimeter scorer.

Credit:

Getty Images

19. Geron Johnson, Memphis

Johnson was a risky addition for Pastner, but he's a talented athelete and a tenacious defender.

Credit:

Getty Images

18. Keith Frazier, SMU

The McDonald’s all-american will be SMU’s go-to scorer this season.

Credit:

Getty Images

17. Danuel House, Houston

The former top 25 recruit averaged 12.4 points as a freshman and will take over a bigger role with Joseph Young gone this year.

Credit:

AP Images

16. Travis Bader, Oakland

Bader may be the only guy that can get up as many three's in a game as Marshall Henderson. He's 101 away from J.J Redick's career record.

Credit:

AP

15. Jordan Adams, UCLA

With all the hype surrounding Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson, not many people noticed the outstanding season Adams had.

Credit:

Getty Images

14. Marshall Henderson, Ole Miss

We love Marshall. He's entertaining and loves to shoot. But there's more to basketball than being a gunner that averages 20.1 points.

Credit:

Getty Images

13. C.J. Wilcox, Washington

He doesn't get much publicity playing for a mediocre Washington team, but Wilcox can flat-out score.

Credit:

Getty Images

12. Wayne Selden, Kansas

Selden is a big, physical guard that attacks the rim. The freshman will be a perfect compliment to Andrew Wiggins on the wing.

Credit:

AP

11. Nik Stauska, Michigan

One of the nation's most lethal shooters, expect Staukas to showcase his athleticism and driving ability more this year.

Credit:

Getty Images

10. Markel Brown, Oklahoma State

For all the hype that Marcus Smart gets, there were plenty of times last season where Brown carried the Pokes. The 15.3 points he averaged went a long way towards proving he's more than just a dunker.

Credit:

Getty Images

9. Aaron Harrison, Kentucky

The unheralded Harrison, Aaron has been drawing rave reviews from people that have watched Kentucky practice and play early on this season. His ability to shoot from the perimeter will be key to providing space inside for Kentucky's massive front line.

Credit:

AP

8. Jordan McRae, Tennessee

McRae is the leading scorer and the No. 1 perimeter threat for a Tennessee team that should be the third best team in the SEC. The senior averaged 15.7 points a season ago.

Credit:

Getty Images

7. P.J. Hairston, North Carolina

It's unclear when we will actually see Hairston take the court this season, but what's undeniable is that the junior is a major talent. We're going to go ahead and assume that whatever punishment he receives is minimal enough that it won't hurt his season.

6. Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati

The biggest issue with Kilpatrick heading into this season isn't his ability to score; he averaged 17.0 points as a junior. It's that he may not have much help in that department with this Cincy roster.

Credit:

Getty Images

5. Rasheed Sulaimon, Duke

Due to the fact that he will be playing on a team that has plenty of perimeter depth and two other potential lottery picks (Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood), Sulaimon may not put up huge numbers this season. But don't sleep on his talent.

Credit:

Getty Images

4. Joe Harris, Virginia

Harris is the most underrated players in the ACC, having averaged 16.3 points as a junior for a Virginia team that played at as slow of a pace as anyone in the county. At 6-foot-6, Harris' shooting ability makes him a nightmare to defend.

Credit:

Getty Images

3. Tyler Haws, BYU

Haws came off of a two-year Mormon mission without missing a beat, averaging 21.7 points as a sophomore. The Cougars aren't going to slow down their pace of play at all this season, so it should be fun to see what Haws can do with an offseason to work on more than just getting back into shape. He's the best player in the country at moving without the ball.

Credit:

Getty Images

2. Gary Harris, Michigan State

We've written about it all summer long: the nation has yet to see the "real" Garry Harris, as he was a shell of himself as a freshman while battling a shoulder injury. Harris is more explosive than he gets credit for and could end up being the best player on title-contending Michigan State this season.

Credit:

Getty Images

1. Russ Smith, Louisville

Smith went from a wildly entertaining, wildly inefficient player as a sophomore to a guy that won KenPom's Efficiency Player of the Year award as a junior. He's a perfect fit for the system that Rick Pitino employs. He's a terror as an on-ball defender and he's impossible to keep out of the lane or to stop in transition. When he plays with a modicum of shot selection, he's an all-American.